Punch removing and inserting tool



April 6, 1965 J. E. PARKER 3,176,383

PUNCH REMOVING AND INSERTING TOOL Filed Jan. 28, 1963 2 ll\ 2 /2 T" 17 7 /a -/4 #6 f I J /5 I 4 v k V 'l l 1' i 25 I l I Q 36 T 3/ a I I! i 33 ILL 32 INVENTOR.

JAMES E PARKER ,M Q W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,176,383 PUNCH REMOVING AND INSERTING TOGL James E. Parker, 18230 Valarie, Wyandotte, Mich. Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,166 2 Claims. (or. 29-278) This invention relates to a novel punch removing and inserting tool. The tool in the present invention is adapted for removing punches and similar tools from tool retainers having a means for locking the punches or similar tools in the retainers, as for example the automatic tool locking means shown in US. Patent 2,662,773. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved tool for removing and inserting punching tools and the like, from and into tool retainers as used on punch presses and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool for removing a punch or the like in the minimum time from its retainer, when it is desired to repair or replace the same, and for quickly and easily inserting the replacement punch.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved punch removal and inserting tool which is simple and compact in construction, economical of manufacture and eflicient in operation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved punch removal and inserting tool which includes a cylindrical handle having a spiral coiled spring mounted on one end thereof for releasably gripping a punch for insertion and removal operations.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved punch removal and inserting tool which includes a cylindrical handle having a spiral coiled spring mounted on one end thereof for releasably gripping a punch for insertion and'removal opera tions, and a punch lock. releasing means operatively mounted on said handle.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description,

appended claims, and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a punch removing and inserting tool made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1 and illustrating the inserting of a punch in a retainer by means of the tool;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 33 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a modified punch removing and inserting tool made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral generally designates a retainer block which is provided with the usual backing plate generally indicated by the numeral 11 and which is adapted to be secured to the head of a press (not shown). The backing plate 11 is adapted to be secured to the retainer block 10 by any suitable means, as by means of a plurality of screws indicated by the numeral 12. The retainer block 10 is provided with a cylindrical tool socket 13 and with an angularly disposed cylindrical hole or bore 14 which partially intersects the socket 13.

A punch lock means is operatively mounted in the angular hole 14 and includes the retainer ball 15. The retainer ball 15 is biased downwardly toward the lower end of the angular hole 14 by means of the helical compression spring 16. The spring 16 urges the ball 15 outwardly of the intersecting portion of the hole 14, so

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that the ball 15 tends to project into the socket or bore 13. Due to the shape of the intersection of the hole 14 and the socket 13, the ball 15 cannot escape from the hole 14. The upper end of the spring 16 is indicated by the numeral 17 and it is adapted to be extended into the hole 18 formed in the block 10 so as to retain the spring 16 in place. Slidably mounted in the tool socket 13 is a tool generally indicated by the numeral 19. The tool 19 is a punch provided with a circular shank 20 and a tapered working end or punch end 21. As shown in FIGS. 1 and "2, the shank 24) of the tool 19 is provided with the notch 22 in its outer surface into which the ball 15 seats when the punching tool 19 is inserted into the socket 13, as shown by the dotted line position of the ball 15 indicated by the numeral 23 in FIG. 1. The aforedescribed punch and punch retainer construction, as well as the locking means for holding the punch in the retainer is of the conventional type that is shown in United States Patent No. 2,662,773.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the punch removing and inserting tool of the present invention comprises the tube or cylindrical body 24 and the flat, spirally wound or coiled helical spring generally indicated by the numeral 25. The spring 25 is adapted to be secured to the front end of the tube 24 by any suitable means, as by welding. The spring 25 is preferably made from fiat metal stock and is provided on the inner diameter thereof with an abrasive coating indicated by the numeral 26 for efiicient gripping of the outer diameter of the shank 20 of the punch 19. Slidably mounted on the tube 24 is the ring 27 which is provided with the hole 28 in which the rear end of the ball release rod 29 is fixedly secured by any suitable means, as by welding. The ring 27 and the rod 29 provide a ball release means for moving the ball 15 from the dotted line position 23 to the unlocked position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the ball release rod 29 is adapted to extend through the opening 30 into the angularly disposed hole 14 for moving the ball 15 to the unlocked position to permit removal of the punch 19.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the tool of the present invention further includes a cylindrical rod 31 which is slidably mounted inside of the tube 24 and the coiled spring 25. The cylindrical rod 31 functions as a piston or hammer member for inserting a punch into the tool hole 13 in the retainer 10. The inner diameters of the tube 24 and spring 25 are made to the same size to permit sliding movement of the rod 31 in both of these members. The rear end of the tube 24 is enclosed by means of the cap 32. The cap 32 is mounted on the tube 24 with a slight press-fit and is provided with the axially disposed hole 33 through which is slidably mounted the handle rod 34- for moving the cylindrical rod 31. The rod 34 may be secured to the rod 31 by any suitable means, as by welding.

It will be seen from the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 that the coil is provided with what may be termed a left-hand spiral coil spring 25. Accordingly, in the first step of a punch removing action, the user would grip the tube 24 and pass the outer end of the coil 25 over the end of the punch 19 while simultaneously giving the tool a left-handed twist or counterclockwise action. The aforementioned counterclockwise rotation of the tool will permit the coil to slightly expand and receive the lower end of the shank 20. The ball release means including the ring 27 and the rod 29 may then be moved upwardly and into engagement with the ball 15 to move it to the unseated position. The punch 19 may then be removed by applying a clockwise twisting or rotary action to the tool, while simultaneously pulling downwardly on the same. The clockwise rotation of the tool tends to reduce the. innerdiameter of the spring 25 to provide a gripping action on the circular shank of the tool 19 and firmly grip the same for removing the tool from the retainer 10. In order to insert the tool 19 in the hole 13, a reversal of the removing operation is employed;

In other words, the ball release rod 29 is first inserted in the hole 30 to move the ball '15 to the unlocked position The tube 24 isthen grasped and the punch 19 is inserted I is determined by whether the coiled spring is wound in upwardly into the hole 13 and the tool is turned 'and simultaneously moved upwardly. Duringv an inserting;

action the rod or piston 31 is pushed inwardly'by means of a cylindrical handle 34' so as to abut the lowerend of the punch 19 as shown in FIG. 2. The cylindrical rod 31 assists the insertion action of the coil 25 so as to insure that the tool is completely inserted into the hole 13. During an insertion operation, the tool isturneduntil a distinct click is heard which indicates-that the a ball 15 has been inserted into thenotch 22 on the punch Once the punch 19 has been inserted in the hole 13 toa point wherein the upper end of the punch has passed the lower end of'the angular hole 14, then the ball re lease rod 29 may be removed. That is, the rod 29 maybe moved downwardly and out of the hole 30. I

FIGURE 4 shows a slight modification of the idol of the present invention. In this-embodiment the outer end of the coil has been made to a difierent form. In this embodiment the coil is indicated by the numeral 250' and the lower end of the punch 19 is indicated by the numeral 21a. The tool of this embodiment is 'adapted'to.

grasp the conical lower end 21afof the punch F19 for re-. 7

moval and insertion. operations; Asshownin FIG; 4, the. upper end of the spring 2511 has been formed with a flared configuration as indicated by'thenumeral 37a to permit efiicient gripping of the tapered or conical operating end ofthe punch 19. The embodiment of FIG. n

4 would operate in the samemanner as the embodiment? of FIGS. 1 through 3 It will be seen that the toolis always rotated during usein a directionso as to tighten the spiral spring on the tool The direction of rotation a right hand direction or a left hand direction It will be further seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 that the gripping, action of the spring 25 is caused by the fact that the inner end 36 of the spring is secured to the tube 24 and the outer end 37 is free; Accordingly, when the spring 25 grips the shank 20 of the tool'19, the coil tends V to elongate so as to reduce the inner diameter thereof and grip the tool.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it-Will be appre-' ciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change Without departingfrom the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined' claims.

What I claim is':' Y

1. A tool for removing punches from a tool retainer and insertingpunches intora tool retainer comprising:

7 a handle;

'7 held in the's'pring for moving the punch out of the spring and into the punch seating hole in a retainer.

References Citedin the file of this patent V UNITED I STATES PATENTS 531,347 'Varney Dec. 25, 1894 H 2,215,015 Richard Sept. 17, 1950 2,749,783 Burget June 22, 1956 2,805,590 j Nelson Sept. 10, 1957 Lauring Aug.x1'8, 1959 

1. A TOOL FOR REMOVING PUNCHES FROM A TOOL RETAINER AND INSERTING PUNCHES INTO A TOOL RETAINER COMPRISING: A HANDLE; A HELICAL SPRING MOUNTED ON SAID HANDLE FOR RECEIVING A PUNCH AND RELEASABLY GRIPPING THE PERIPHERY OF SAME; AND A PUNCH LOCK RELEASE MEANS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID HANDLE FOR ENGAGING A BALL-TYPE DETENT LOCK INCLUDING A RING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HANDLE AND AN ELONGATED ROD CARIED ON SAID RING AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID HANDLE. 